Toothbrush



Oct. 15,1929. I} A. c. NIELSEN 1,731,500

TOOTHBRUSH Filed Oct. 10, 1928 I N VEN TOR.

A E By W -W A TTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 15, 1929 UNETEE gTATES ANDREAS C. NIELSEN, OF EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO TOOTHBRUSH Application filed October 10, 1928. Serial No. 311,515.

said shank is avoided thus making it more sanitary and less expensive to manufacture. The aforementioned combination handle and holder is so designed as to be made of one piece of material thus avoiding expensive, troublesome and unsanitary hinges or the use of loose pieces which are liable to be mislaid or lost. Moreover, all parts are readily available for cleansing.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top view of a collapsible tooth brush made according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side View of the brush in collapsed position.

Fig. 4c is an end view of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows the brush in an inverted position in the holder.

Fig. 6 is a top view of a modification.

7 is a side view of Fig. 6.

Referring specifically to the drawingsa tooth brush 1 of familiar construction has a short shank 2 with one surface 3 tapered with respect to the opposite side thereof. lVhile it is shown as having a rectangular cross section, I do not limit myself to the cross section shown because a great variety of cross sections could be used provided there was one 0 tapered surface as described. Said shank 2 is inserted in a coacting socket 4 in the holder or handle 5.

Said holder 5 is made conveniently of a piece of sheet metal, celluloid, plastic or other material bent to form the socket & and having the meeting edges welded, cemented or otherwise attached as indicated at the line 6' in Fig. 4. There is also a pin 7 which is likewise welded, riveted, cemented or oth- EB erwise secured in the holder 5 in such a position as to engage with the tapered surface 3 of the shank 2. It will readily be seen that a slight pressure applied to the brush when it is inserted in the position shown in Figs. 2, 8 and 5, will cause the shank 2 to be held in a gripping manner in the socket 4; and by the pin 7. The end 8 of the shank 2 projects through the socket sufficiently far so that pressure can be applied to said projecting end 8 when it is desired to release the brush from the holder, thus making it more convenient to operate. 7

When the parts of the holder 5 are made integrally as above described a holder is pro duced which has no moving parts and all surfaces are readily accessible for cleaning. A further advantage of compactness is secured in this construction because no space is taken by a cover over the back of the brush since the back of the brush itself is used to form the cover of the enclosure for the bristles 9, also with this construction less space need be provided in the container as space is provided for the bristles only holding the bristle holder or back of the brush outside, serving as cover or lid. A still further advantage to be pointed out is that the open side and cutaway portion 10 of the holder 5 near the socket 4 provides a convenient means for gripping the brush to remove it from its holder (see Fig. 3), after it has first been loosened by pressure against the end 8 of the shank 2.

As an aid in placing the bristles within the holder 5, the mouth 11 thereof is made flaring, and this also has the added advantage of strengthening and bracing this portion of the structure The same flaring mouth will be noted at 12 in Fig. 6 which is a convenient modification in case it is desired to cut the holder 13 out of a solid piece of material or to mold it Of plastic material. In such a case various portions may be removed to reduce the amount of material and holes 14 may be added if desired for hanging up the brush unfolded as shown in Figs. 2, 6 and 7.

As will be seen, the holder 5 is hollow so that when the brush is collapsed the bristles are held and protected between the flat side walls of the holder, and the back 1 of thebrush rests upon the edge of these side walls, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4: so that the bristles are not bent and cannot be pressed into contact with the bottom of the holder, but remain in straight or extended position so that they will dry in straight position and sufficient ventilation is afforded to insure quick drying while at the same time the bristles are protected from contact with adjacent articles when the brush is packed for transportation. While I have shown and described certain forms of the invention obviously various embodiments may be made together with changes in the details of construction, falling within the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tooth brush comprising a hollow handle substantially Ll shaped in cross section and having a socket atone end thereof open at both ends and a pin extending across between the sides of the handle, and a brush portion having a shank adapted to be entered into either end of the socket and engaged against the pin, the bristles of the brush being enclosed between the sides of the handle when the shank is inserted into the inner end of the socket.

2 A tooth brush as in claim 1, the back of the brush portion resting against the edges of the sides of the handle when the shank is inserted into the inner end of the socket.

In testimony whereof, I do aflix my signa ture.

ANDREAS C. NIELSEN. i 

